When in France I spent some time in the Dordogne, the home of the Périgord Black Truffle. I felt compelled to bring one home and here’s what I did with it. 60º eggs on potatoes fried in duck fat with shavings of black truffle. Actually, these were really 62.8ºC (145ºF) eggs as I prefer my…… Continue reading black truffle
snapper with beetroot and olives
David has a way with fish. This amazingly colourful dish was not only stunning to look at but absolutely delicious too. In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a 5cm (2″) piece of finely grated fresh ginger, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and the crushed…… Continue reading snapper with beetroot and olives
baclava cheesecake
My friend Deborah made this for a recent celebration. What a brilliant combination of two delicious cakes! Preheat your oven to 180°C (350ºF). Place ⅓ of a cup each of blanched almonds and hazelnuts on a baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes until toasted. Meanwhile, make the honey syrup by combining ½ a cup…… Continue reading baclava cheesecake
home-made pastrami
As a gift I was given CHARCUTERIE The Craft of Salting Smoking and Curing by Michael Ruhlman and Bryan Polcyn. It’s packed full of excellent recipes. This is how our home-made pastrami turned out. To make this you will need some beef brisket with most of the fat removed. For a 2¼kg (5 lb) brisket make a…… Continue reading home-made pastrami
sauerkraut
All you need to make Sauerkraut is cabbage, salt and time. Shred 1 whole cabbage finely and place it in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt and massage the salt into the cabbage until the cellular structure breaks down, releasing liquid and making the cabbage quite limp. Pack the cabbage tightly…… Continue reading sauerkraut
blood lime and coconut ice cream
I’ve been interested in native Australian finger limes for a while so I chose to plant a blood lime as it suits the cool climate here. A cross between red finger lime and Ellendale mandarin, their colour ranges from lime to burgundy and they’re a little sweeter then standard limes. The skin and flesh can…… Continue reading blood lime and coconut ice cream
mushroom, walnut and lentil loaf
Not in the mood for meat? Here’s a high protein, gluten free loaf that everyone will enjoy. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Line the base and sides of a 1.5 litre loaf tin with baking paper. Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in a saucepan and add a mirepoix of finely diced onion, celery…… Continue reading mushroom, walnut and lentil loaf
hainanese chicken rice
Adapted from early Chinese immigrants from Hainan province in Southern China, Hainanese Chicken Rice is a popular street food in Singapore and Malaysia. There are many different cooking methods and the dipping sauces seem to be a personal choice. I chose to follow Rosemary Brissenden’s recipe from her book South East Asian Food. The chicken is steeped…… Continue reading hainanese chicken rice
coconut and pineapple upside down cake
Wonderfully caramelised ripe pineapple crowns this coconut cake. Preheat your oven to 175ºC (350ºF) and grease a 20cm (8″) round, deep-sided cake tin. Peel and slice half a very ripe pineapple into thin slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the pineapple slices for 3 minutes on each…… Continue reading coconut and pineapple upside down cake
saffron cauliflower + tomato, onion and roasted lemon salad
Here are 2 salads from the master of salads, Yotam Ottolenghi. Serve them as part of a mezze selection or as side dishes. Cauliflower is so versatile. In this recipe from PLENTY it’s paired with raisins and olives. Preheat your oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Soak 1½ teaspoons of saffron strands in a little boiling water and…… Continue reading saffron cauliflower + tomato, onion and roasted lemon salad
michelle picker cooks 